Tara Ashour

What ignited your pursuit for gender equality?

By the early age of 15, I had experienced a lot of unfair gender norms in the male-dominated society where I lived. I had limited access to any public places in my country. But I challenged my community, finished my studies in geosciences, and have now been working in the field for over two years. Inspired by myself, I have decided to change the reality of other females in my country, so I have started leading projects that enable other adolescent girls and young women to have access to public spaces and events through sports.

Please share your biggest wins as an advocate for gender equality.

My goal is to promote the social coexistence and achieving gender equality for adolescent girls. I work towards the development and expansion of a widespread grassroots network of females across Iraq who have the skills necessary to operate as agents for change within their communities. I remember my first team, comprised of IDPs from Mosul and Syrian refugees living in camps, some were not sure whether to complete their education at school. After this program, their lives had changed and created their strong personalities, along with their increased communication skills. Now, they are more confident with ambition to fulfill their education.

Outside of your gender equality advocacy work, what do you enjoy doing?

In my free time, I travel globally. I'm a bibliophile who loves reading.